Legendary St. Joseph deli makes upgrades, adds more music
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- A local deli, that is over a century old, is making some upgrades to its facility and music.
Magoon's Famous Delicatessen in St. Joseph is a local fixture, having been part of the landscape of Downtown St. Joseph for 107 years this month.
Barry Woodhull, who has owned Magoon's for 20 years, said he is taking the opportunity this summer to make some changes to keep the place, that was part of his own childhood, moving forward.
"My father brought me here back in the '70s," Woodhull said. "I was a big fan of the whole thing, and back then they had bagels and lox -- a full menu."
Woodhull kept the full menu handed down from the Magoon family and added a full bar. He also began hosting musicians for jam nights and local concerts.
In recent years, events like the COVID-19 pandemic affected the ability of venues like Magoon's to bring in live music. Even so, the customer base of regulars and newcomers continued to grow, both for the food and for the fellowship, a regular patron said.
"I am a retired person, a widower, but I know when I come here, I'll have a good beer and get to talk to good folks here," said Rick, a regular patron.
It is that kind of customer loyalty that continued to evoke interest from local musicians like Chris Jamison, age 64, who also had family-related memories of Magoon's.
"My grandfather, who was a local boxer, was really good friends with the Magoons," Jamison said. "My dad came here when I was a little kid and I followed my grandfather around when I was a kid too."
Jamison has helped restart the monthly 'Electric Jam' on the second Wednesday of each month at Magoon's.
"It's a time where musicians from all kinds of different backgrounds come together and just play music together," Jamison said. "There just aren't many places like that anymore, where musicians can come together and collaborate, and I wanted to see Magoon's do that again, like they did before COVID."
Magoon's has also added an 'Acoustic Jam' night, during the first and third Wednesdays of the month, where musicians gather on the stage and play a variety of songs from genres ranging from progressive rock to traditional country. The deli has a 'Happy Hour' concert during the week and bands from around the area perform every Friday and Saturday.
For Jamison, who has been a professional musician for over 30 years, adding more musical opportunities for musicians in the St. Joseph area is not just about music. He also sees it as a way to promote goodwill.
"I felt like there's too much underlying divisiveness in society that's tearing us apart," Jamison said. "So, I see myself and this project as a kind of stealth activism."
To find out more about upcoming concerts and jam sessions, visit Magoon's Famous Delicatessen on Facebook.
